Finding solutions to meet growing demand for windows
The manufacture of windows for the construction sector is an important business. According to a report published by Research and Markets, the global window market is expected to experience an average annual growth rate of 9% until the end of the decade .
These windows are designed for repeated openings, rapid operation and harsh environments. Many of them have safety features and some are electrically operated. Customers demand a wide range of shapes and sizes, as well as a high level of customization . Therefore, manufacturers of these types of windows have deployed very little automation so far.
Invio Automation , an industrial automation systems integrator in the USA, was mandated by a window manufacturer to carry out a consulting mission focused on the automation of processes that were historically very manual .
This manufacturer's processes have remained largely unchanged over the past decade and consisted of manual manufacturing steps, manual assembly, unstructured material handling, and more.
Faced with growing demand for their products, executives were keenly aware that things needed to change.
For Invio and the client team, the main objective of the study was to identify and define projects that would enable a substantial increase in production without adding labor .
Quality improvements and other indirect savings, although not explicitly sought, would of course be welcome.
Automation and the role of visual components
Invio Automation began the process by reviewing the client's current practices during an on-site workshop at the factory. The Factory of the Future team worked with the client to identify 14 potential automation and process improvement opportunities . During the investigations and discussions that followed, the set of 14 projects was narrowed down to three concepts that had a high probability of increasing yield .
Each concept was carefully considered, exploring options, identifying the types of equipment to be used in window manufacturing and the expected benefits. Invio used Visual Components software to assist with these activities.
A leader in 3D manufacturing simulation, Visual Components tracks automation and robotics trends to better provide manufacturers with tools to explore production line concepts, cells and workflows .
Although often used for manufacturing process optimization, simulation is also a tool for evaluating the expected performance of new production equipment , new layouts and new workflows.
It helps evaluate factors such as robot reach and cycle time, identify production constraints, and evaluate potential yield rates , based on different production schedules.
A particularly important aspect of Visual Components software for integrators like Invio Automation is the ability to produce a conceptual 3D rendering of a proposed layout or layout .
This allows a team developing automation concepts to explain their ideas and thus obtain higher quality feedback and direction from the customer .
In its “Factory of the Future Consulting” study, Invio used Visual Components software to create automated work cells, conceptualize automation solutions and present them to its client.
Benefits of Visual Components in identifying potential automation cases
At the time this consulting study began, Invio Automation was not yet familiar with Visual Components factory simulation software.
Previously, the Invio team relied on a combination of 3D CAD and PowerPoint to communicate ideas and iterate with clients .
For this study, however, the Invio engineering team wanted to see what could be gleaned from using Visual Components simulation software .
The team saw benefits in three areas:
- Speed
- Communication with the customer
- Quality of the concepts developed
In terms of speed, the Invio team estimates that by using Visual Components software, their workflows have increased threefold compared to how iterations were done before .
She also observed a notable improvement in the perception and understanding of the concepts presented by clients .
Regarding the quality of the concepts, the team felt that the Visual Components software was well suited to different levels of automation. Ben Graham of Invio Automation said: “He was so flexible… there was no problem.”
Whether it was the concept of a fully automated cell [or] a material flow for a semi-automated cell, we found the tool to be very powerful and very useful when we were trying to determine what was best for the customer. The flexibility of the tool was enormous and allowed our team to explore different levels of automation
Using simulation to “sell” ideas
The Invio team was excited by their client's response to using Visual Components software.
We 100% saw a noticeable increase in positive customer feedback when we showed our results using Visual Components.
This shows that factory simulation is more than a tool for optimizing manufacturing processes. It is a way to explore options for communicating and discussing ideas more effectively .
For integrators like Invio Automation, simulation is an essential tool for business development and customer satisfaction .
The importance that Invio places on simulation is evident, as it has committed to incorporating it into its future projects.
Solve complex engineering problems for the world's largest industrial companies
In many industries, manufacturers are under pressure to improve quality and reduce costs. The labor shortage , due to the high number of retirements and recruitment difficulties, constitutes an additional and widespread challenge.
For many manufacturers, including the one discussed in this case study, the biggest challenge is meeting a high level of demand .
Most manufacturers understand that automation is a way to solve these problems . For some, automation means robots and CNC machines . Others are investing in autonomous guided vehicles (AGV) or autonomous mobile robots (AMR). Finally, many are interested in hyper -automation , where all aspects of the business can be improved.
Manufacturers sometimes have a list of automation projects they would like to explore and implement in their facilities. Prioritizing these projects often requires assessing technical feasibility and risks, calculating ROI, and communicating the vision and value of the future state to senior management and company executives.
In other cases, manufacturers are convinced that automation can help them solve their problems, but they don't know where to start or how to go about it . For companies with limited automation experience or in-house engineering capabilities, both of these scenarios can seem daunting.
When manufacturers look to improve their processes in stages, they often start by turning to an industrial automation systems integrator , like Invio Automation or Quotex.
A common problem for many customers, across all industries (medical devices, renewable energy, automotive and construction products, etc.), is that they do not know what automation could bring them or that they do not don't know where to start the process of automating their existing , often highly manual, operations.
Visual Components can help them!
About Visual Components
Founded in 1999, Visual Components is one of the pioneers of 3D simulation. Visual Components 3D simulation helps industrial production companies design, test, optimize and develop production lines as efficiently as possible.
Delfoi Robotics' OLP software, combined with 3D simulation, provides a software solution for the digitalization of production systems that significantly reduces downtime, saves production time and improves robotic programming processes .
Quotex is a partner and integrator of Visual Components for France . Would you like to know more about the benefits of our solutions for your business? Don’t hesitate to contact today!
